NBA Los Angeles Lakers

Predicting the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2014-15 Win Total

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Gary A. Vasquez - USA TODAY Sports

Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers head into the 2014-2015 NBA season with a lot of questions to answer. The biggest one might be whether or not their veteran players can stay healthy throughout the season and play at a high enough level to keep the team competitive. If Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash can play a majority of the games, then it will make the Lakers a significantly better team. However, that is a big if, especially considering the numerous amount of injuries they have both battled in previous years.

The Lakers are unfortunate in that they have to play in a very competitive Western Conference. There are so many good teams vying for a playoff spot that it will be tough to make it. The Lakers may be headed back to the lottery, although they might not be able to keep the pick anyways.

It is unknown as to who will start and who will come off the bench, as the team has already had to deal with injuries that have forced coach Byron Scott to alter his lineups. Bryant, Carlos Boozer, and Nick Young will all be counted on to carry the scoring load, although there are enough players in the lineup who are capable of creating their own shot. Jeremy Lin is effective at getting into the lane and creating opportunities, as is a healthy Xavier Henry.

Jordan Hill is a rebounding monster, but will need to step up his game even more to justify the contract given to him in the offseason. Julius Randle is a young rookie, but has an NBA-ready body and should be able to provide a youthful spark to the team. Two x-factors will be Ed Davis and Wesley Johnson, who are both on one-year deals and give the Lakers length and athleticism, which the team does not have much of.

If everything goes right for the Lakers and everyone can stay healthy, then they have a shot at securing a low-seed for the playoffs. However, it is a long season and the Lakers just do not have the talent to compete with all the teams in the Western Conference on a nightly basis. Bryant may be able to help the team win some games single-handedly, but without a group effort, they will struggle to finish above .500.

Final Prediction: 38 Wins

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